The first-ever World Series of Poker bracelet awarded on United States soil outside of Las Vegas, not to mention a $355,599 first-place prize, was bestowed upon Jonathan Hilton on Friday after he topped a 127-player field in the third annual WSOP National Championship.

The tournament—held at Harrah’s New Orleans and comprised of 20 WSOP Circuit Main Event winners, 18 Casino Champions, 62 at-large qualifiers and 27 WSOP POY $10,000 buy-ins—marked the culmination of the 2012-2013 World Series of Poker Circuit season, which awarded 240 gold rings all across North America since August of 2012.

Place

Player

Prize

1st

Jonathan Hilton

$355,599

2nd

Max Steinberg

$219,799

3rd

Robert “Uncle Krunk” Panitch

$156,743

4th

Brock Parker

$114,008

5th

Tim Bowman

$84,544

6th

Joe Tehan

$63,894

7th

Nicolas Vaca-Rondon

$49,187

8th

Jeremy Ausmus

$38,570

The final table of eight was an eclectic mix of personalities including four players who bought in for $10,000 (Brock Parker, Joe Tehan, Max Steinberg and Octo-Niner Jeremy Ausmus), three at-large qualifiers (Robert “Uncle Krunk” Panitch, Jonathan Hilton and Nicolas Vaca-Rondon), and a Main Event winner (Harrah’s Cherokee champ Tim Bowman). Two-time WSOP bracelet winner Parker entered as the chip leader, while Hilton started fourth in chips.

It took about an hour for the first elimination of the day to occur as the first few all-in situations resulted in doubles. Then, in Level 21 (8,000/16,000/2,000) Ausmus, the 2012 WSOP Main Event fifth-place finisher who began the day second in chips but had since waned, raised to 33,000 in the cutoff and Panitch called on the button. After the blinds folded, the dealer fanned and Ausmus continued for 35,000. Panitch raised to 77,000, Ausmus thought for 30 seconds or so then moved all in for 480,000 and Panitch snap-called.

Ausmus:
Panitch:

Ausmus, who was the one at risk, held an open-ended straight draw but needed some help to double in order to overcome Panitch’s big pocket pair. The turn didn’t do it, and neither did the river. Ausmus was eliminated from the tournament in eighth place for $38,570.

After Colombian Vaca-Rondon bowed out in seventh place, a huge hand took place in Level 22 (10,000/20,000/3,000) that shook up the chip stacks. It began when Hilton opened for 40,000 under the gun and received a call from Panitch in the cutoff. Tehan then three-bet all in for 319,000, Steinberg called off for 248,000 from the small blind, Hilton folded and Panitch thought for about 45 seconds before calling to put both players at risk.

Panitch:
Steinberg:
Tehan:

The crowd and pretty much all of the players were on their feet in anticipation of the monster hand. Panitch's supporters were calling for an ace and to use his "one time," while Tehan watched the action with his hands on his head. After the dealer squared away the various pots, he burned and put out the flop—.

Steinberg came from behind to flop a set and was a heavy favorite to more than triple. Panitch's supporters then began calling for a king to give their man Broadway, but that was unlikely considering Tehan held two of them. The turn opened up some more options for Panitch to score the double elimination as a nine would also give him a straight, but the river was no help to him. Steinberg's set held to give him a huge triple, while Tehan took down the side pot of 142,000. Little good it did him though as Tehan was eliminated in sixth place on the very next hand.

It happened when Steinberg opened for to 55,000 on the button and Parker, whose stack had dwindled, moved all in for 350,000 in the big blind. Steinberg tank-called and the cards were turned up.

Parker:
Steinberg:

Parker was behind, and Steinberg increased his lead when the dealer fanned . Parker needed running cards to make a wheel, and the was one of them. The two-time bracelet winner was left with three outs—the was no good—to stay alive, but the was not what he needed. Parker exited in fourth place for $114,008.

That does it for our coverage from the National Championship at Harrah’s New Orleans, but the PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be back in less than a week to cover all of the 62 events from the 2013 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was a back-and-forth heads-up battle, but Jonathan Hilton has emerged victorious while denying Max Steinberg his second World Series of Poker bracelet.

In the final hand, Hilton opened for 85,000 on the button and then called when Steinberg three-bet to 240,000. The flop saw Steinberg bet 275,000 and Hilton call, bringing about the turn. Steinberg paused for a moment before announcing that he was all in and Hilton snap-called.

Hilton:
Steinberg:

Hilton got it in good with two pair, but Steinberg held an open-ended straight draw. The railbirds were very vocal for their respective man as everyone seemed to know this would be the determining hand. Either Hilton would clinch victory or he would be crippled. The dealer burned one last time and put out the , the last card of the 2013 National Championship. Steinberg was gracious in defeat and shook Hilton's hand before exiting in second place, good for $219,799.

Max Steinberg opened for 85,000 on the button and then called when Jonathan Hilton three-bet to 210,000. The flop seemed innocent enough, but then action exploded when Hilton led for 200,000 only to have Steinberg move all in. Hilton thought for about 15 seconds before calling off for 895,000 total.

Hilton:
Steinberg:

It was a good call by Hilton as his tens were good, but Steinberg could still win with either a jack or queen.

"No sides," Hilton's supports shouted from the rail, urging the dealer to deliver an ace, deuce, or tre on the turn. "No mashed potatoes, bro. No sides!"

Those shouts got a little louder on the turn, and then morphed into cheers when the river gave their man a double and the chip lead.

Jonathan Hilton opened for 90,000 and Max Steinberg called, bringing about a flop of . Steinberg then check-called a bet of 90,000 before check-calling a bet of 135,000 on the turn. Steinberg checked for a third time on the river, and Hilton fired for a third time. Steinberg quickly called the 265,000 bet, and he was correct to do so as his bested Hilton's .

Final Results

Level Info

Level

25

Blinds

20,000 / 40,000

Ante

5,000

Players Info

Prize Pool

$1,270,000

Photos

Jonathan Hilton - Winner of the 2013 Southern Comfort 100 Proof World Series of Poker National ChampionshipJonathan Hilton - Winner of the 2013 Southern Comfort 100 Proof World Series of Poker National Championship Jonathan Hilton - Winner of the 2013 Southern Comfort 100 Proof World Series of Poker National Championship Max Steinberg Jonathan Hilton Max Steinberg and Tim Bowman The Final Table

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